Metal-spraying device



Sept. 23, 1930.

R. Ll-:NscH ET AL METAL SPRAYING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l y R. LENscH ET AL '1,776,632

METAL S'PRAYING DEVI CE Sept. 23, 1930.

Filed July 7, 1928 2 S'Ieeats--Sheec 2 mmwm il@ such devices have not been altogether satisy lPaterit'extl Sept. F23, 1,930

PATENT `ori-lea RUDOLPH LENSCH AND PAULLEDER, or Los ANGELES, cALIFoRNIA METAL-SPRAYING DEVICE y Applicationv led July 7,

This invention has to do with a spraying device and itis an object of the invention to provide a simplified, practical, eflicient and L'dependable device for handling metal or other 5 material to atomi-ze it in a molten state vfor application to surfaces to be coated. y

Metal spraying devices employing combustible 'gases for melting and atomizing the metal have been proposed and used, however,

factory vfor various reasons.4 The devices heretofore provided for this class of work have embodied numerous more or less complicated parts making-them heavy and cumbersome. Further, the means that have been devised for feeding or advancing the metal in devices of the character mentioned have not been altogether dependable or effective, this being true also of the nozzle arrangements provided for directing the combustible gases in a manner to properly handle the metal or other material. f

T It is a general object of the present invention to provide a simplified, improved device of the character mentioned which is efficient and dependable inA operation.

It is an object of the invention to provide.

an effective and improved arrangement and combination of parts for feeding or advancin g the material to be handled by the device. A further object of the invention isto provide an improved construction for handling the cumbustible Ygases so that they are properly mixed and supplied to the point of combustion without leakage into other parts of the device in a manner liable to endanger the operator. l v y It is another obj ect of our present invention to provide an improved, simple nozzle mounting for a device of the character mentioned. With our construction the nozzle is mounted so that it is readily detachable and is perfectly tight against the leakage of gases.

A further 'object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement and combination of parts fo-r controlling or regulating the combustible gases and the air. Vith our construction the iame can be located and regulated so that it is effective and de- 1928. kSerial No. 291,060.

pendable in handling the material being sprayed. f

1 The various objects and features of our invention willl be best and more fully understood from they following detailed description 'of 'a typical formand application of the invention, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in

.Fig 1 is aside elevation of the device provlded by our invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the device being a view taken as indicated by line 2-*2 in Flg. 1. Fig. '3 is an enlarged vertical detailed sectional viewof the device being a view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the device taken as indicatedy by line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 5--5 on Fig. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectionalyview taken as indicated by line 6 6 on Fig. 2. Fig. l7 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 7--7 on Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an exterior view of the gas nozzle and wire guide shown detached from the other parts of the device. Fig. 9 is a front end view of the parts shown in Fig. 8 being a view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view of the other end of the parts shown in Fig. 8 being a view taken as indicated by line 10-10 on Fig. 8, and Fig. 11 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated byline 11--11 on Fig. 3.

The device provided by our present invention has a body 10 and a head on the body comprising a wire guide 11, a gas nozzle 12, and an air nozzle 13. The body 10 carries means 14 for engaging and feeding the Wire, an air driven rotor 15, a drive 16 between the rotor and means 14, and various other parts the details and functions of which will be hereinafter described. y

The device provided by this invention is i11- tended primarily for handling metal or other fusible material for the purpose of melting and spraying 'or atomizing it. The metal ordinarily handled in a device of this character is in the form of an elongate body or wire, and therefore \we will use the term wire in defining orreferring to the metal lOO handled by the device. Further, the gases ordinarily used in devices of this general nature are acetylene gas and oxygen, air be ing present and in some cases used in the op eration of the device as we will hereinafter describe. In setting forth a typicalapplication of the invention, we will refer to the use of acetylene gas and oxygen it being understood, of course, that other gases may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The body 10 of the device may be varied as to design and proportioning, it being preferred, of course, to make it simple and compact consistent with strength, convenience and the various other necessary factors. The body illustrated in the drawings is a hollow box-like structure having a top 17, a bottom 18, front wall 19, rear wall 20, and side walls 21 and 22. The body is preferably a cast part it being preferred to cast it of aluminum or other like material. In the preferred construction one part, for instance one wall of the body, is made separate from the other parts so that it can be opened to allow access 'to the interior of the body. In the particular case illustrated, it is convenient to form the side wall 22 separate from the other parts. In the drawings we have illustrated the side wall 22 .connected to the top 17 through a hinged connection 23 and releasably connected with the bottom 18 by a latch 24. In accordance with the construction provided by the present invention, the wire guide 11 and the gas nozzle 12 are connected or formed together as a unit, and this unit and also the air nozzle are detachably mounted on the body 10, preferably on the front of the body as shown in the drawings. The formation and mounting of the wire guide and nozzles are important features of the invention.

The wire guide 11 is in the nature of a tubular member adapted to be mounted so that its passage or opening 25 registers with an opening 26 provided in the front wall 19 of the body. j The wire W enters the body through an opening 27 in the rear wall 20, passes through the opening or chamber ofthe body, and then enters the opening 26 from which it passes into the guide 11. The opening 25 through the guide is a straight, smooth opening slidably passing the wire W.

The gas nozzle comprises a base 30. adapted to engage or cooperate with a projection 31 on the front of the body, and a plurality of tubes 32 extending from the base 30 to a head or tip 33 at the outer end of the guide 11. The base 30 has a flat finished face 34 finished to seat tightly on a face 35 provided at the outer end of the projection 31. Recesses 3G and 37 are provided in thefaces 34 and 35. respectively, to register and form a mixing chamber B for the combustible gases. The tubes 32 attach to the base 30 and have connection with the mixing chamber B. The tubes extend to the outer end or tip- 33 where they are turned inwardly or toward a common center so that the gas openings 38 provided in the tip 33 converge toward the axis of the guide opening 25. The gas openings 38 in the tip 33 are reduced as to size so that the gas issues in very inejets. In practice the number and arrangement of tubes 32 and corresponding gas openings 38 may be varied` it being preferred to provide three yor more tubes and to arrange them symmetrically about the wire guide, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. l

The tip 33 of the construction just described its into the adjustable head 39 of the air nozzle 13 and has longitudinal slots 40 j formed in its exterior to pass the air being handled by the nozzle 13. Further, transverse slots 41 are provided in the face or outer end of the tip 33 allowing the air passed by the slots 40 to enter between the jets. of gas issuing from the openings 38.

The construction provides means for detachably mounting the wire guide 11 and gas nozzle 12 on the projection 31. In the preferred construction this means may comprise a collar or sleeve42 engaging over and around the base 30 of the guide and nozzle and screw threaded onto projection 31. l The sleeve has flattened parts, for instance flat faces 43 to be engaged by a suitable tool such as a wrench so that the sleeve can'be tightened on the projection 31 thus clamping the base 30 tightly against the face 35 of the projection. In the preferred construction a tapered or conical centering lug 44 is provided at the center of the face35 to fit a corresponding recess'or socket 45 in the base 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In practice the lug 44 and face 35 have a ground fit with the socket 45 and face 34, respectively.

The air nozzle 13 is mounted on the front of the body 10 to surround the wire guide and gas nozzle. In the preferred construction the air nozzle is screw threaded onto a suitable projection '46 provided on the front of the body and is in the nature of a tapered or outwardly and inwardly converging shell freely surrounding the parts attached to the projection 31. An adjustable end or head 39 is provided at the outer end of the part which attaches to the projection 46 and fits more or less closely around the tip 33 above described. The head 39 is screw threaded to the main. part of the air nozzle so that it can be adjusted with reference to the tip 33 to regulate or vary the manner in which the air discharges with reference to the gas jets. The air nozzle screw threads onto projection 4G, and in the 'construction illustrated the projection 3l above described is concentric with-and formed on the outer end of the projection 46. This formation of parts is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The means 14 for engaging and feeding the'wire W includes a feed roller or wheel 50mounted on a shaft -51 in position to engage the wire as it passes between the openings 26 and 27. The wheel 50 has a rough- ,54 the ends of Which are carried in guide blocks 55 and are normally yieldingly urged in the direction of the wheel 5() by springs 56. The guide blocks 55 are mounted on the inner side of the hinged side wall 22. With this construction, opening of the hinged side wall of the body releases the grip on the Wire W, allowing free manipulation of the wirewhen the side ofthe body is open.

The rotor 15 provided to be driven by air is mountedin a housing formed on the top 17 of the body, the housing having a detachable outer wall or cap 61. The rotor 15 is mounted to rotate freely in the housing and is carried'on a shaft 62 having one end supported by a bearing 63 carried by the cap 61, and the other end carried by a bearing 64 mounted in the bottom 18 of the body. The outer or peripheral portion of the rotor is provided with a plurality of cup-shaped recesses 65 adapted to catch air admitted tangentially into the housing through an opening 66. It is to be understood, of course, that suitable lubricating means, for instance oil cups 67, may be provided in lconnection With the bearings 63 and 64j for proper lubrication.

The drive 16 provided by our invention between the rotor 15 and the wheel 50 includes a worm 68 fixed on the shaft 62 and meshing with a Worm wheel 69 fixed on a countershaft 70. The countershaft is mounted between the front and rear walls of the body and carries a worm 71 which meshes with and drives a. worm wheel 72 fixed on the shaft 51. Through this double worm drive a substantial speed reduction is effected between the rotor and the wheel 50 allowing the rotor to operate at a high speed and drive the Wheel 50 at a suitable speed. This particular drive is an important fea.- ture of the invention as ity is very simple and eliminates numerous gears and shafts that have heretofore been provided in devices of this character.

The air for driving the rotor 15 is admitted to the opening 66 from a port 80 formed in the body 10. The opening 66 is formed through the housing of the rotor, and a regulation screw 81 is provided to extend into the opening 66 so that the flow of air to the rotor can be regulated. The screw 81 has an operating knob 82 at the exterior of the construction. Th'e port 80 is formed through the walls of the body 10 and may be supplied with air from a suitable conduit 83 through a control valve 84. The port extends from the valve 84 to the projection 46 where it discharges into the air nozzle. In accordance with our invention, a deflector 85 is mounted l' on the face or outer end of the projection 46 to extend l*over or in front of the outlet end of the port 80. The deflector 85 deliects the jet of air issuing from the port 80 laterally in the nozzle and is made of metal that permits its'being bent or shaped to give the air vthe desired direction in the nozzle.

The combustible gas or gases used in the device are preferably admitted through the handle 90. l The handle is shown connected with the back 20 of the body-and is provided at its outer endwith a head 91 to which the gas conduits 92` may be connected. In the case illustrated the conduits 92 connect into the head through control valves 93. For ordinary work we have found it practical to supply acetylene gas through one of the conduits 92 and oxygen through the other. With this combinationof gases we provide a large tube 94-through the handle and allow the acetylene gas to discharge into the tube 94 from the head 91. The oxygen is admitted from the head 91 into a small tube 95 which I extends freely into the tube 94 a suitable distance and then discharges into the tube 94. The inner ends of the tubes 94 carrying a mixture of acetylene and oxygen gases connects with a suitable fitting 96 which attaches to the body 1() to make connection with a port 97 which extends to the mixing chamber B formed between the projection 31 and the buse 30 of the wire guide and gas nozzle.

In operating the device the wire W is fed through the device in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, the air control screw 81 being regulated so that the air is fed at the desired rate. The gas control valves 93 are regulated so that the mixture of combustible gases discharges from the nozzle around the project-ing end of the wire causing the wire to be fused and carried by the flow of gases in a sprayed or atomized condition, onto the object to be coated. Through the construction provided by our invention the various factors or elements may be accurately and independently adjusted, for instance air can be accurately regulated, the speed o f feed of the wire can be regulated, and the mixture of gases' can be regulated It is to vbe particularly noted that the device is simple of construction and that the nozzles and wire guide are so mounted and' arranged as to be secure and efective'and also readily detached for purpose of cleaning, repair or replacement.

Having described only a typical preferred form of our invention, we do not wish to limit including, a body, a gas nozzle carried by the body having an end face provided with grooves radiating from the bore of the nozzle, an air nozzle operating to discharge air at the gas nozzle, and means carried by the body for feeding material to the point of combustion of the gas discharged by the nozzle.

2.. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle, a guide for directing material to a point ahead of the nozzle, and an air nozzle adjustably carried by the body and operating to discharge air at the gas nozzle, the air nozzle having a head adjustable with reference to the gas nozzle.

3. A device for spraying solid material including, a gas nozzle having slots on its exterior, a guide with the gas nozzle for directing material to a point aheadoi` the nozzle, and an air nozzle operating to discharge air at the slots, the air nozzle having a head adjustable with reference to the gas nozzle.

4. A device for spraying solid material in-v cluding, a gas nozzle having a base, a tip with a plurality of convergent gas directing openings, andl means conducting gas from the base to the tip to discharge from the 'open'- ings.

5. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle having a base, there being a mixing chamber between the base and body, a tip with a plurality of converging gas directing openings, and means conducting gas from the mixing chamber to said openings. y

6. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle having a base, therebeing a mixing chamber between the base and body, a tip with a plurality of converging gas directing openings, and means conducting gas from the mixing chamber to said openings, and an outwardly convergent air nozzle surrounding the gas nozzle.

7. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle having a base, there being a mixing chamber between the base and body, a tip with a plurality of converging gas directing openings, and means conducting gas from the mixing chamber to said openings, and an outwardly convergent air nozzle surrounding the gas nozzle, there being a plurality of air passages in the exterior of the tip of the gas nozzle.l

8. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle having a base, there being a mixing chamber between the base and body, a tip with a plurality of converging gas directing openings, and means conducting gas from the mixing 'chamber to said openings, and an outwardly convergent air nozzle surrounding the gas nozzle, the air nozzle having an adjustable head fitting over the tip of the gas nozzle,

9. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a gas nozzle having a base, there being a mixing chamber between the base and body, a tip with a plurality of converging gas directing openings, and means conducting gas from the mixing chamber to said openings, and an outwardly convergent air nozzle surrounding the gas nozzle. there being a plurality of air passages in the exterior of the tip of thegas nozzle and transverse openings across the front of the tip of the nozzle.

10. A device for spraying solid material including, a body having a part with a flat face having an annular groove therein, a nozzle having a base with a flat face to seat on the face. of said part, the flat face of said nozzle having an annular groove therein registering with the first mentioned annular groove to form a distributing chamber, and means for detachably securing the base on said part.

1l. A device for spraying solid material including a body having a part with a llat face having an annular groove therein, a nozzle having a base with a flat face to seat on the face of said part, the flat face of said nozzle having an annular groove therein registering with the first mentioned annular groove toform a distributing chamber, and means for detachably securing the base on said part, said means including a clamping member engaging the base and screw threaded to said part, said clamping member covering the joint'between the base and nozzle and preventing leakage from said distributing chamber.

12. A device for spraying solid material including, a body, a nozzle on the body, a hollow handle on the body, gas conduits in communication with t-he handle, valves on the handle to control iow into the handle, and means conducting gas from the handle to the nozzle.

In witness that we claim the foregoing wev have hereunto subscribed our n ames this th day of June, 1928.

Y RUDOLPH LENSCH.

PAUL LEDER. 

